


A Star Dies

by Cheloya



Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-27 07:12:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10804332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheloya/pseuds/Cheloya
Summary: Old, imported. If Renji hadn't known better, he'd have said that his captain was upset. But Kuchiki Byakuya didn't get upset, so it had to be something else.





	A Star Dies

It was Renji who'd intercepted the papers at the door, Renji who'd frowned suspiciously at the formal seal that only ever meant trouble for the Sixth Division. It'd been labelled for Kuchiki-taichou, so he'd leafed through the rest of the packets for paperwork that was his to complete, and he dumped his captain's pile on the wrong side of Byakuya's desk, as was his habit. It didn't surprise him when Byakuya glanced at him from beneath half-lidded eyes, a frown on his lips as well as his forehead.

But what did surprise him was that he got no more than that, as the captain of the sixth division noticed and opened with something not quite resembling haste the officiously marked packet that Renji had just set upon his desk. It surprised him that the usual _on the left, please, Abarai-fukutaichou_ was not forthcoming. It surprised him that his captain's face grew colder as he read the carefully folded paper within the envelope.

"Sir?" He queried, and Byakuya startled a few seconds after he'd spoken, as though he had been somewhere else entirely.

"What is it, fukutaichou?"

Renji came very close to giving Byakuya a _look_ , then remembered who he was dealing with. "Uh, that's what I was about to ask you, taichou. Looked like your favourite pet died, or somethin'."

Byakuya's eyes, when he lifted them to stare at his vice-captain, seemed darker than usual. If Renji hadn't known better, he'd have said that his captain was upset. But Kuchiki Byakuya didn't get upset, so it had to be something else.

At least, that's what he'd thought. And then Byakuya had cleared his throat quietly, as though he'd had something stuck there, and said, "My sister," and Renji's heart just about stopped right in his chest.

"Ru-- Whaddaya mean, taichou? Rukia's-- she can't be--" There was something in his throat, fighting to get out, a howl of rage, maybe, or just panic. "She's not....?"

"Not dead, fukutaichou," Byakuya agreed softly, and laid the missive down so that Renji could see it properly. The characters were elaborate and detailed; Renji couldn't read a couple of them. He didn't need to. Byakuya shook out his sleeves and stood in one graceful movement. "Come, Renji. Bring paper and ink. We must secure passage to the human world."


End file.
